A Shaded Truth
by Mistylight
Summary: For the first 9 moons of her life, Shadepaw has been underappreciated. But when the clan leader herself takes her under her wing, Shadepaw experiences the life of her leader's aide.
1. Chapter 1

Meh. I'm bunching the first few chapters together since they're too short

Shadepaw's POV

Why aren't you good at hunting like your mother? Why aren't you good at fighting like your brother and father? Why aren't you pretty like your sister? You're useless, pathetic.

Every night, Shadepaw dreamed of voices saying these things. Her mother Graypool, her father Lionscar, her mentor Russetflame. Only her siblings cared for her.

It was true though. She was useless as a warrior. Russetflame had long since given up on her. Actually, she had never properly trained her. Maybe Russetflame was to blame. Of course, her siblings got excellent mentors, and were shaping up into fine warriors. But her? She was as helpless as a kit!

This went on for three moons.

Shadepaw stretched in the apprentice den, prepared to do yet another day of elder duty. Russetflame hardly ever bothered to take her out of camp, so she was always stuck with elder duty.

She knew she could be a powerful warrior with training. She had speed, strength, and stealth. She only lacked technique, which had to be taught. But there was no opportunity for that.

Sighing, she finished her stretching and padded towards the mouth of the den.

As she poked her head out of the den, she saw Greenstar padding towards her, her black tail flicking from side to side. Her heart sank. Was Greenstar going to reprimand her for her lack of performance?

But as the battle-scarred leader came closer, she realised that Greenstar's eyes held no anger, only… annoyance?

Finally, Greenstar reached her… and spoke, "Shadepaw, I understand you have had…_ inadequate_ training from Russetflame. I have spoken to her, and have decided to take over as your mentor. We will need to train quickly if you want to earn your warrior name together with your littermates."

Shadepaw's heart soared. _I'm going to be the clan leader's apprentice!_

And so started the most intense few moons of training the clan had ever known.

LINELINELINELINELINELINE

2 moons later

Lionscar's POV

Lionscar watched his kits training. Shadepaw had grown much stronger, he realised, over the past couple of moons. She had managed to beat Sunpaw easily, and had Silverpaw pinned down in a matter of heartbeats.

_How did she become so strong? _He wondered. Just because Greenstar started training her didn't mean she would automatically become a legend at fighting.

He decided to see for himself. He rose to his paws, and padded over to his kits. To avoid suspicion, he didn't single Shadepaw out. Instead, he invited all three to spar with him.

Silverpaw went first. He was upon her instantly.

Then Sunpaw. He was a strong fighter, but he forgot the limitations of his strength, and overestimated himself, which led to his defeat.

Finally. Shadepaw's turn.

He waited for her to make the first move, crouching down in a spring. To his surprise, she soared over him, while using her hind paws to kick him forward, unbalancing him.

As he regained his balance, he saw that Shadepaw was already waiting for him, dancing lightly on her paws, a spark of triumph in her eyes.

He shot a paw out to strike her on the muzzle, but she ducked, and slid under him to pummel his belly with her paws. He dropped on his belly, but Shadepaw didn't panic. She kicked him off easily, her muscles visibly rippling beneath her pelt, before scrambling to her paws and launching on him, clinging to his pelt with her claws. He tried rolling on his back to crush her, but she was already up and moving. She took advantage of the situation and leapt on him, placing a paw on his neck.

She had won. Her littermates were staring at her with wide eyes, as was Lionscar, but he purred. "You'll make a fine warrior. And soon, I should think."

And the gleam in her eyes was unmistakably joy.

LINELINELINELINELINELINE

**Okay, just so you know, the four clans are Greenclan, of the forest, Blazeclan, of the moors, Lightclan, of the streams and rivers, and Hawkclan, of the marsh and shadows. **

Shadepaw's POV

"No! Use your tail to unbalance your opponent, not dangle it in front of them so it can be chewed off! Try it again!" Greenstar hissed. Her tail flicked with annoyance before she stilled it, and crouched in front of her apprentice. Her eyes gentled. "Shadepaw, I know this is an advanced move that most warriors can't do, but I want you to be the best. You know that."

Shadepaw crouched in front of her leader and mentor. _The best. _The thought blazed in her mind. _The very best._

She sprang, immediately starting to grapple with Greenstar. She had grown tremendously, and was now nearly as strong and large as her mentor.

Just as Greenstar was about to pin her down, she knew that what they had discussed, using her tail to distract her opponent, would no longer work. Instead, she slammed her tail into her leader's face.

Greenstar stumbled back in surprise, and Shadepaw leapt on her, pinning her down after a brief struggle. She leapt off and a wide grin split her muzzle. After all the training they had done, she was finally fast enough, strong enough, _smart_ enough to beat Greenstar, who was renowned as one of the most fearsome cats in the forest. She had beat _Greenstar._

The black and silver she-cat shook her fur out before springing in front of her apprentice, a purr breaking loose from her throat.

"I plan on invading Lightclan tomorrow. We need more territory, and their land is bountiful not only in fish, but also in forest prey. I want you to be on my patrol. And I have a special job for you. I want you to take one of Featherstar's lives."

"Yes, of course, Greenstar" Shadepaw mewed, her eyes glinting with pride. Any shock that she was to kill a cat had been trained out of her long ago.

LINELINELINELINELINELINE

Greenstar's POV

She watched eagerly as her Clanmates poured into the camp. Featherstar was a young leader, and she was the only one of the current four leaders who had yet to lose a life. That would change. In the name of revenge.

Greenstar had only ever lost a single life in the many moons she had been leader. True, not so many, as she could still be considered young, but many enough that she was experienced. _Very _experienced. She had benefited from her early life as a rouge, and she was a skilled hunter, and an impeccable fighter. But back to her lost life. It had been because of Lightstar, the previous leader of the Clan currently under assault. He had five cats target her at once, and it had been impossible to get away, even with her prowess. She had almost lost another life, but fortunately Leafblaze had come to her rescue.

She shook off her thoughts and leapt into the fray. She grappled with a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat for a while before overpowering her and sending her running. Before long, she faced TIgerstrike, the LightClan deputy. Within moments his life was over. With a satisfied grin, she bounded towards where she knew her apprentice would be fighting Featherstar.

To her delight, Featherstar was already down, and as she struggled to rise, Shadepaw struck at her once again, costing the young leader yet another life. Hopefully, Shadepaw had taken a few lives already.

However, she was not satisfied. Although her original plan was to only take one of the she-cat's lives, her clever apprentice had thought ahead. The loss of both leader and deputy would make LightClan extremely vulnerable to attacks. Sootstreak, the ambitious warrior, would probably take up the mantle, and make Snowfire her deputy, and their prowess in battle and natural cunning was remarkable. However plans to overtake LightClan seized her, and she was confident that with Shadepaw by her side, she would succeed.

By the time the battle was over, both Featherstar and Tigerstrike were dead. But LightClan's torment had only just begun.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Please review. PLEASE. Otherwise I really have no motivation. NONE. AT. ALL. And I just feel really gloomy and not write for six months or something. So PLEASE. And um… Create-a-cat please **** I sorta need a lot of cats for Hawkclan and Blazeclan, and maybe a couple for Lightclan and Greenclan, and I need a band of rogues. Please no Mary-Sues because I once created a really Mary-Sue-ish character and wanted to vomit from looking at the profile. A bit of background if you feel like it **** Thank you in advance **

**Shadepaw's POV**

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them as warriors to you in their turn. Darkpaw, Palepaw, Shadepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" Greenstar mewed, her voice full of warmth. It was true, Greenstar could be cold, but she was only like that to her enemies. She loved each and every one of her clanmates, from the oldest elder to the youngest kit.

"I do" Darkpaw and Palepaw mewed together.

"I do" Shadepaw kept her voice strong and confident, and she saw her leader and mentor's eyes glow with pride.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Darkpaw, from this moment onwards, you shall be known as Darkshadow. StarClan honours your speed and cunning. Palepaw, from this moment onwards, you shall be known as Palefeather. StarClan honours your warmth and your hunting skills. Shadepaw, from this moment onwards, you shall be known as Shadepath. StarClan honours your intelligence and loyalty. We welcome you as new warriors of GreenClan."

"Darkshadow! Palefeather! Shadepath!" Her clanmates chanted in unison. Shadepaw, no Shade_path_, brimmed with pride.

Greenstar leapt from the Highrock and touched her muzzle to each of the new warrior's heads. They licked her shoulder respectfully in return.

As her Clanmates crowded around the newly named warriors to give congratulations, Shadepath noticed her siblings at the cornew of the clearing, looking thoroughly put off. Probably because I received my name before them, she thought, a smug grin working itself onto her face.

At least her parents were proud of her. Lionscar had a proud expression on his face, though he resisted coming forward. Graypool covered her daughter in frantic licks, her eyes gleaming.

Soon enough though, the crowd had worn away, giving Shadepath some time to think, as she prepared for her vigil.

Shadepath, she mused. How fitting. She had truly gone down a shaded path. Not a dark path, as she was not necessarily evil, but still a shaded one. She had taken three of Featherstar's lives. Suddenly, she felt like retching. She had killed another warrior, a leader! But another part of her, one that she had carefully trained and nurtured, pushed the treacherous thought out of reach.

"Uh, Shadepath?" Darkshadow nudged her. She jolted from her thoughts and looked up, blinking in confusion. "It's time for our vigil." He explained. She nodded and rose to join him and his sister and the camp entrance.

As the moon rose over the camp, Shadepath's mind once again began to wander. The gathering was on the next day, she realised, as she observed the almost full shape of the celestial being. She would be going. As a warrior. As an apprentice, she had always shied away from the other cats at the Gathering. Perhaps now, as a warrior, she should start to mingle. She had heard useful information from eavesdropping on conversations, which she relayed to Greenstar, but she would hear so much more if she was the one prodding and poking for information. Anyways, she was interested to see who LightClan's new leader was. And the deputy.

LINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELI NELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELI

Shadepath rushed across the fallen log, unusually eager to get into the clearing. Her first Gathering as a full warrior of GreenClan! She raced into Fourtrees, her Clanmates surrounding her. As they settled down, they split up into groups to find friends of different Clans. Not unexpectedly, LightClan gave them a wide berth, earning curious glances from the other Clans. She spotted young warriors from BlazeClan and HawkClan clustered in a group at the side of the hollow. She padded over to them.

A few mewed greetings to her as she approached, finding an empty spot in the circle and sitting down.

"My name's Bluesong of BlazeClan, and these are Slyfoot and Brightwing of HawkClan." A blue-gray she-cat mewed in a friendly tone, pointing her tail at a stone gray tom and a pure white she-cat. "You? GreenClan, right?"

"Yeah," she heard herself answering, "My name is Shadepath"

"Cool name." The tom, Slyfoot, said appraisingly.

She flushed under her fur. This tom was indeed very handsome, and had a cunning demeanor about him, and he could see why he was named so.

"Yeah. I-uh-I think so too" she stammered, hating herself more and more.

"So, what's LightClan's problem with you guys?" Brightwing asked, her gaze darting around the hissing LightClan cats.

Just then, a yowl from the Great Rock sounded. Blazestar yowled, "Cats of all Clans, welcome to the Gathering! I shall start. We have two new warriors, Bluesong and Mousestep!" Cats cheered, and Bluesong looked just about ready to burst from bost pride and embarrassment, licking her chest fur self-consciously. "BlazeClan is doing well, and the prey is running. This is a plentiful Greenleaf. That is all." The huge ginger tom concluded.

Hawkstar stepped up next. "We too have a new warrior, Brightwing." He paused for a while for the cheers to die down. "We too are blessed with full bellies this moon"

Greenstar stepped up next.

"We have had not just one, or even two, but _three_ new warriors. Shadepath, Darkshadow, and Palefeather have just recently earned their warrior names." Shadepath felt another burst if pride as every Clan other than LightClan cheered. We also have had two new apprentices. Bluepaw and Whitepaw are not present tonight. StarClan has also been kind to us, given our recent surplus of territory." Greenstar was taunting LightClan, she realised, and the other Clans were whispering, obviously confused over Greenstar's words.

The other Clans seemed to only just have noticed that the cat on the Great Rock was not Featherstar, or even Tigerstrike, but instead Sootstreak. "Sootstreak? Why are you the one here?" Hawkstar demanded, his eyes narrowed.

Sootstreak met his gaze levelly. "We have had an outbreak of Greencough," Why, the coward! "And both Featherstar and Tigerstrike are dead."

"Greencough? In Greenleaf?", Blazestar cut in, not buying the story.

"A loner carried it into our territory. Anyways, I have travelled to the Moonstone and received my nine lives. I am now Sootstar. My new deputy is Snowfire."

Just as Greenstar predicted, Shadepath thought.

**Well, what do you guys think? What do you think Shadepath is really like, and what she will become? What do you think Greenstar will do next?**

**Please drop me a review, I really want to know how I can better this story, and I also don't like putting in wasted efforts. So if you have any queries, or feedback, even unusually harsh feedback, please don't hesitate to type out a review.**

**Shloo**


End file.
